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eleanormair's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Addiction
Moderate: Kidnapping
Minor: Sexual harassment, Xenophobia, Racism, and Gun violence
myriam_almonti's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Violence, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Hate crime, Drug use, Infidelity, Murder, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Xenophobia and Car accident
Minor: Miscarriage and Racism
moodreadererin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Child death, Gaslighting, Grief, Kidnapping, Murder, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Stalking, Transphobia, Child abuse, and Racism
Minor: Medical content, Car accident, and Infertility
toofondofbooks_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
First though, I do want to bring up its merits, because I think that it has some.
Things I liked: It's set in a small town based on a real town that not only is near to where I live but that I've been to several times and it mentions several landmarks that are familiar to me. I also liked the illustration elements and how they get spookier and spookier as the book goes on.
Things I didn't like: Pretty much everything else but especially the big plot twist at the end. Absolutely the stupidest thing in the world. Made half of the book absolutely pointless. This could've been edited down to just 200 pages and it would've been better and not as much of a waste of time.
I only add the half a star because I have a soft spot for the small town that the book is based on.
Graphic: Drug abuse, Racism, Fatphobia, Car accident, Infertility, Drug use, Addiction, Death, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Xenophobia, Excrement, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Transphobia, Child death, and Infidelity
Moderate: Sexual content and Sexual assault
Minor: Rape
livvmarks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Addiction, Drug use, Classism, Cursing, Infidelity, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Body horror, Car accident, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Blood, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Infertility, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Transphobia, and Xenophobia
foldingthepage_kayleigh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Transphobia, Kidnapping, Death, Xenophobia, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Addiction, and Murder
Minor: Infertility and Infidelity
ashleycmms's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Murder, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Racism, Xenophobia, Drug abuse, Violence, Gun violence, Addiction, Death, Grief, Gaslighting, Drug use, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Gore
Minor: Infertility
twin1's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Violence, and Death
Minor: Racial slurs and Xenophobia
kelseyr713's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Transphobia, Drug abuse, Drug use, Addiction, and Murder
Moderate: Fatphobia, Violence, Body shaming, Child death, Kidnapping, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Racism, Xenophobia, Car accident, Blood, and Infertility
Minor: Gun violence, Police brutality, and Dementia
dalmavatai's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
However... while this book attempts some very basic commentary on racism and sexism, it simultaneously ends up being ableist, fatphobic and transphobic at times, none of which is challenged. The transphobia is especially concerning as it ends up being a larger portion of the book than the other things that are mostly just throwaway comments and remarks. At one point, the transphobia of the MC is challenged, but then the book uses a trope that is very cisheteronormative - and if you don't understand why,
The other thing is that a specific nationality becomes an important plot point towards the end of the book, and as a person with that nationality, I feel compelled to tell you that many words, facts, and dishes were incorrect in the book and I wish that the author had done his homework regarding my nationality because I was really happy to see it in a book that I randomly picked up, but understandably less happy to discover that so many of the details were simply incorrect.
Sooo while I enjoyed most of this book and found the reveals satisfying and shocking, I have many issues with it otherwise. 🤐
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Infertility, Addiction, Car accident, and Murder
Moderate: Fatphobia, Sexism, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Ableism, and Racism